Once again, the row over the land and a farm well earlier owned by P. Vijayalakshmi, wife of former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam has resurfaced as residents of Lakshmipuram observed a fast at the village on Sunday condemning the inordinate delay in handing over the land to the panchayat.
“We also observed a fast against the Public Works Department officials for falsely showing the Varattaru as a dry stream in the report sent to the Theni Collector,” said Jayabal of Lakshmipuram near Periyakulam. “The officials gave the false information in order to circumvent a court order banning any activity within a distance of 200 metres from rivers,” he added.
The residents have been protesting against the digging of an open well in the land near the Varattaru river in Thamaraikulam village of Lakshmipuram panchayat to irrigate 200 acres of land since June 21.
Water table worries
Village Panchayat president Karthikeyan alleged that the owners had no intention of handing over the land and the well to the panchayat. They first postponed registration of land to July 26 and later to July 31. “They have not registered it till now. If they do not want to offer the land, they should announce it openly. We will find alternative ways to meet our drinking water needs,” he asserted.
The villagers’ concern was that the bore wells around the open well would affect the ground water table and deprive them of water for irrigation.
Ms. Vijayalakshmi had transferred a piece of land measuring one acre and 60 cents under survey number 3054, a farm well, along with a 5 HP motor, deposit for electricity connection, other equipment and coconut trees, and another land measuring six acres and 84 cents under survey number 2878/5 in the same village and the well to R. Subburaj, who, in turn, assured to hand over them to the residents of Lakshmipuram free of cost. They assured to register the land in favour of the panchayat.